I’d like to let you in on one of my all time favorite ‘diet hacks’

No, it’s not fasting (that’s not really a ‘Diet hack’ – it’s more of a lifestyle)

Actually, it’s scotch.

Yep, good ol’ Scottish Whiskey (Irish is pretty darn good too, but I digress)

So you’re probably wondering how a ounce of the good stuff (neat of course) can be a diet hack?

Simple..

It’ll save you calories…. lots of them.

An ounce of scotch has about 70 Calories. That’s less than a glass of wine (120 ish) and a bottle of beer (140 ish)…but that’s not the ‘Hack’.

The “Hack” is in the social graces of Scotch.

Let’s say you go out for drinks with your friends…guys order beer, the girls order wine and you order a scotch.

Right away, you’ll probably get some looks… mostly because people have this weird idea that an ounce of Scotch has a TON more alcohol in it then a bottle of beer or a glass of wine (which is false, they are all equal).

And this is where the ‘hack’ comes in.

You can ‘nurse’ a glass of scotch for an hour and no one will say anything.

(I’ve never been in the situation where I’ve been nursing a scotch and someone has asked me if I was ‘on a diet’)

In a social setting, for some reason Scotch trumps people’s crazy need to push you to keep up with them when they drink.

So your friends can be 3 beers into the night, or a half bottle of wine..and you can still be nursing your first ounce of alcohol, and no one will say anything.

In a hypothetical situation where you’ve had two ounces of scotch, while your buddy has had 6 beers, you’ve saved yourself well over 500 calories…and a whole bunch of bloating and probably a really crappy morning..

Bottom line – Obviously you could just have a water, but with this diet hack you get to enjoy a Scotch, nice and slow…the way you should enjoy it (Without ice of course)…you drink about 70 Calories while your friends drink hundreds of calories in their beer, wine and assorted mix drinks (Oh and you still get the anti-inflammatory actions of alcohol too, just without any of the extra calories).

In settings like weddings, or awkward family reunions, this could save you hundreds of unneeded calories, while still allowing you to be ’social’.

Again, The obvious ultimate hack is water, but if you’re going to drink, you may as well drink the good stuff (just remember to drink it slow).

Drink Stop Drink

BP

PS- No this is not an excuse to allow alcohol when you are fasting!

WHAT IS SELENIUM?

Selenium is a micromineral (or trace element) that protects your body from damaging free radicals (a harmful by-product of oxygen related reactions in the body) and reduces inflammation in the body.  In this article I will be providing you with an in-depth look at this important nutrient.

WHEN WAS SELENIUM DISCOVERED?

Selenium was discovered by the two Swedish chemists Jons Jakob Berzelius and J. G. Gahn in 1818.  They were studying the chemicals within sulphuric acid and found a material that they thought was the rare element tellurium.  Berzellius studied this material more closely and discovered that whilst it was similar to tellerium it actually had different properties and was a new element which he named selenium.

HOW DOES YOUR BODY USE SELENIUM?

An average adult stores around 15 milligrams (mg) of selenium in their body.  As I mentioned above the main role of selenium is as an antioxidant that protects you from free radicals.  However, it has a number of other important roles in the body which include supporting your immune system (through the production of antibodies) and protecting your body from disease.  The list below outlines the main roles of selenium in the body:
- Acting as an antioxidant by protecting your body’s cells from free radicals.
- Assisting in the production of antibodies (organisms that fight disease in the body).
- Assisting in the production of the antioxidant coenzyme Q10.
- Assisting with and regulating the production of triiodothyronine (a thyroid hormone also known as T3 that affects almost every process in the body including the generation of body heat, growth and heart rate).
- Assisting in the transport of ions across cell membranes.
- Possibly slowing the progression of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (more research is needed in this area).
- Preventing certain types of cancer including colon cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.
- Preventing heart disease.
- Reducing joint inflammation.
- Relieving the symptoms of arthritis.
- Supporting male fertility.
- Working with vitamin C and vitamin E to boost the body’s antioxidant function.

HOW MUCH SELENIUM DO YOU NEED?

The body’s requirement for selenium increases with age.  In 2000 the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences set the following recommended daily allowances (RDAs) for selenium:
- Children aged 0-6 months:- 0.015mg.
- Children aged 7 months-3 years:- 0.02mg.
- Children aged 4-8 years:- 0.03mg.
- Children aged 9-13 years:- 0.04mg.
- Children and adults aged 14 years and older:- 0.055mg.
- Pregnant women:- 0.06mg.
- Lactating women:- 0.07mg.

WHICH FOODS CONTAIN SELENIUM?

Nuts and fish are the amongst the best food sources of selenium.  The list below contains a selection of selenium rich foods:
- Brazil Nuts:- 1.92mg per 100g.
- Mixed Nuts:- 0.42mg per 100g.
- Salmon:- 0.038mg per 100g.
- Shrimp:- 0.048mg per 100g.
- Tuna Canned in Oil:- 0.076mg per 100g.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GETTING TOO MUCH SELENIUM?

Overdosing on selenium from food alone is rare but it is possible when taking supplements.  Because of this the National Academy of Sciences established a daily tolerable upper limit (UL) of 0.4mg per day in 2001.  Extremely high levels of selenium in the body are referred to as selenosis and can lead to the following negative symptoms:
- Bad breath.
- Fatigue.
- Gastrointestinal problems.
- Hair, nail and tooth loss.
- Increased dental cavities.
- Irritability.
- Loss of feeling in the fingers and toes.
- Mild nerve damage.
- White blotchy nails.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF NOT GETTING ENOUGH SELENIUM?

Failing to get enough selenium in your diet is very rare.  However, it has been observed in countries such as China where the concentration of selenium in the soil is very low.  Serious gastrointestinal problems can also lead to selenium deficiencies as the body will struggle to absorb adequate levels of this nutrient.  People who are fed intravenously for long periods of time are also at risk of selenium deficiency.  If a deficiency does develop it can lead to a number of undesirable symptoms which include:
- Increased cancer risk.
- Kashin-Beck disease (a bone and joint disorder caused by selenium deficiency).
- Keshan disease (a heart disorder caused by selenium deficiency).
- Myxedematous endemic cretinism (a disease that causes mental retardation).
- Osteoarthritis (the chronic breakdown of cartilage in the joints).
- Skin inflammation.
- Weak immune system.

SELENIUM SUMMARY

Selenium acts mainly in a protective capacity and helps keep your body free from infections and disease.  Failing to get enough can lead to a number of unpleasant conditions.  So to keep your body fighting fit make sure you get the RDA of this important nutrient.

Now I want to hear your thoughts.  Do you consume enough selenium rich foods?  Were you aware of all the protective roles it has in the body?  Leave a comment and let me know.

Sources:
Selenium in Diet and Nutrition (New York Times)
Selenium (Chemistry Explained)
Selenium (Dietary Fibre Food)
Selenium (Internet Health Library)
Selenium (Life Clinic)
Selenium (Medpedia)

Related Posts

• August 30, 2010 — Nickel Explained (0)
• August 26, 2010 — Molybdenum Explained (0)
• August 22, 2010 — Manganese Explained (0)
• August 18, 2010 — Iron Explained (1)
• August 14, 2010 — Iodine Explained (0)
• August 10, 2010 — Chromium Explained (0)
• August 6, 2010 — Copper Explained (1)
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  Want to turn back time and make you look as young as you feel? Killerstrands has a few tricks to turn men’s (and women with short hair) hair back to its original color. No, the boxed color kits you find in Walmart, Target or even Sally’s will not do the job, as a matter of fact those are the most harmful color one can apply to the hair, they do the worst job and contribute to hair loss & thinning.

You know what MOTLEY means? If you’re like me, you just thought it was the first half of Motely Crue’s name. . . . and a made up word…………….NOPE! Its a valid word and means something very specific. It means mottled . . .multi-colored.

Now in the first post I wrote a little while back I explained that you must learn the level system in order to ‘play’ in the world of hair color and accomplish it correctly. The level system is merely a 12 point System of lightness & darkness … you must figure that out first so we can all speak in “LEVELS” & tones in discussion of and about hair coloring.

Today’s post is teaching those of you that want a blending of coverage so the look goes from this (approx):

to this:

~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~

“Motley Color” Technique

See how the gray is blended with the brown and it appears to be multi colors instead of just one? and its not a solid cap of solid dark brown or what most of you refer to as the “shoe polish” look. This is what I will teach you today. ( Women pay attention as you can take some of these concepts and use them with your hair issues )

The next thing you must decide is what type of hair color you should use. There are 2 to choose from, Demi- Permanent and Permanent.

You must decide that, before you begin this whole process. I know how men work, they want the simplest directions possible and the easiest road to a good result. What I always have to remind myself of, is……that 95% of you do not have access to the type of hair ‘cutting’ and “coloring’ techniques we have here in LA, that is one of a couple strong reasons I go to all this trouble, in basically giving out a career full of hair secrets & tricks. I feel everyone in the country should have the same advantages, not just us that live near the 2 biggest cities in the country. For some reason that just doesn’t seem fair to me . . . it seems like the same info should be available to everyone in every state in every city (large and small). So, I just keep writing and divulging my career secrets.

There are 4 different combinations of Color and Application Techniques you have a choice of to accomplish the above look.

First the Hair Color types to choose from:

1. Demi Permanent Hair Color w/ the “Motley Color” technique( as seen above
2. Demi Permanent Hair Color and the “All-Over” Technique ( different strokes for different folks)
3. Permanent Hair Color w/ the “Motley Color” technique (above)
4. Permanent Hair Color and the “All-Over” technique

Demi-Permanent Hair Color : We carry and recommend the Number 1 brand in the world, Wella’s : Color Touch. Demi permanent is the one that gradually shampoos out over time. Now just to confuse things a little more, This particular Demi Permanent color has 2 options . . . the developer you mix the actual Tint with comes in 2 strengths…..6 Volume and 13 Volume. Using 6 Volume means it will wash out twice as fast as 13 Volume.

To be frank…….if you are covering Gray hair ( the hardest hair to cover) using 6 volume will be kind of a waste of time. . .  as it will wash out pretty fast. On the other hand, if you are nervous about coloring your hair and want to use the color with the least commitment (washes out the quickest) . . .  Wella Color Touch – Demi Permanent & 6 Volume Developer is your ticket.

Demi – Permanent Hair Color is the NEWEST category of hair color and was developed only in the last 12-14 years….  it is both determined by the “volume’” strength of developer (Demi = runs from 3 Volume to 18 Volume ) along with the tube of color being a Demi-permanent formula.

The choice I usually “begin” with a new client looking for a Blended look in calming down the GRAY in their hair is COLOR TOUCH(which runs a level darker than other lines, or it appears) and 13Volume (the stronger of the 2 developers) so it will last longer. As much as people of all races, types and genre’s worry about hair color, after doing it for years, you develop a certain confidence in the choice you make for people. Yes, they worry about the first time coloring their hair, but more often than naught . . . after the initial shock of having color on their hair for the first time I will say 10 out of 10 end up loving it. . . . and they ‘want’ it to last as long as possible.

Now, once I have gained their confidence after the first application….with the second one I will encourage the use of permanent hair color. The deal is, the best coverage of Gray hair is using PERMANENT HAIR COLOR .Gray hair is the most difficult to cover successfully, so the trick to covering it is having the top-of-the-line color AND the proper Formula. We carry Wella’s: Koleston Perfect for our Permanent Hair Color Line, it is the top hair color for gray coverage although was developed in Europe so it does run a full level darker than other lines. You must purchase 2 tubes of color for covering gray, if you decide to purchase from us, which I would encourage . . . please put the level of your hair color on your order ( in the box at checkout) with the code words “ MOTLEY COLOR “  and we will send you the 2 colors you need to cover your gray PROPERLY and then you will have your “formula”, which is half the battle.

Now to cover gray, you will always use 20 Volume Developer . . . so you don’t have to worry about ‘which’ developer to use with Permanent Color. So, if you have Level 6 color, just input “Level 6 + Gray Coverage” . . in the box at check out. Be sure to purchase 2 tubes, you only mix what you are going to use . .  so provided you don’t have hair the length of a chicks, you should get 2-3 applications out of the first – 2 - Tubes you purchase… and we would send you Level 7 colors because of the Euro difference in color. 

Now for the tricky part . . .  the  application techniques.

We have 3 - - I only use 1 but am thinking maybe I should tell you of all 3. There are a lot of hair Stylists on this site that read my posts to take my lessons to work with them. At times that is hard to hear, as I consider it stealing. This info is for the everyday person to learn how to deal with their own hair at home, because they can’t find a qualified person to do it for them. Anyway, back to the task at hand….APPLICATION.

First picture there is:

The BOUNCE TECHNIQUE : This photo is a not-so-hot rendering of this application which involves a sea sponge ( you know those rough – round- looking sponges that are a soft yellow color) Why those? They are not even and will impart a more real, more natural, look than a flat rectangle sponge will. So you mix the color, and dip the sponge into the color bowl BOUNCE it on and off the head….Begin sponging on the mixed color sporadically throughout the head shape.. . . Now whether you would use this method or not would depend on the ‘length’ of hair…short hair as this photo demonstrates: 

would work best with this technique

Continue bouncing the sponge color onto hair until desired dimension is achieved. Be careful you do not apply too much ( biggest mistake made with this technique) – go lightly . .  you can always apply more. Give yourself one attempt at experimentation.. . .  have a sheet of paper handy – to practice your technique on before you hit the hair. Once finished, let the color process a full hour…. what does it matter you are doing it at home, work on the computer, watch TV or work with it on your head . . . one of the biggest mistakes in covering gray? Left on way too short of time.

Second there is:

PINSTRIPING: Now this Photo gives you an idea of how its supposed to be applied, its up to YOU to not make it so stripe-y looking, this technique is for a little bit longer hair than BOUNCE. The main difference in the 3 applications has to do with how long the guys hair is. Everything is so accepted nowadays I had to come up with methods for ALL lengths of hair. Now you must use a sponge applicator, like this……………….

or this is even better ( both we carry and are on their way to us as we speak)

we are out, but they should be arriving in 5-6 days ( they say)

Dip the end of the sponge applicator into the mixed up and ready to go Color bowl.. Begin by hand painting  stripes of 2 colors maybe even 3 if you really want to get into it…sparingly throughout the head shape.

Continue hand painting until desired coverage is achieved. . .  again the main problem always being people using TOO MUCH color. Its easy to add more, hard to erase - - easy to add more to.

Last but not least is my favorite . . .  the

Motley Technique

Using a tint brush…………………………………………( which is one of these ) 

which is what we use to apply hair color - - - you take an Application Comb……which is one of these 

mix up the hair color and take big scoops of

the hair color and paint in onto the teeth of the comb. Then quickly take the comb and comb through the ‘lengths’ of the hair strands. This, obviously is for longer hair . . . as there needs to be a little bit of “lengths” to comb ON to… So what happens is the color is combed onto the hair leaving a very very natural look. I feel nothing looks at natural and as “less- shoe—polish than the Motley Technique. This was a maneuver taught in V.S. Academy that I modified to work correctly. I have used it for 16 years and on thousands of clients – always successfully. If you order from us I attach a couple little tricks to make your first attempt even easier.. . . as I do with almost all the hair color we sell.

MOTLEY Technique

Now what I would imagine most would want to do is to try which ever technique of application suits you . .  ( yes, of course they all take a little practice – if you really want some practice leading up to the big color day. . . . spray shaving foam in a bowl and pretend its hair color. Practice with the foam and the sponge, or the comb . . .  and just get an idea how it will work . . . 

If all else fails, get a sister, mom, grandma, you would be surprized the women that would get a thrill helping you .

Hope that help – any questions. . .  join the Google Group . . .we have . .  for some reason the comments to this Blog have been deleted ( not by me . .  I have no idea how to get it back )

I have recently come across an interesting theory - In that we can easily optimise our bodies function via exercise. In recent articles we have looked at a bunch of different types of training and ways to integrate training into lifestyle as well as methods for short and effective workouts.

What I want to have a look into is how to optimise how your body runs through simple activity, this includes things like building muscle, improving flexibility, and generating heat — Therefore providing better circulation and wellbeing throughout the body. It also includes priming our body to use the food we eat effectively to repair the body and supply nutrients rather than wasting the food and potentially storing it as fat.

Ideally it would be great to lay out a simple plan that we could all follow throughout the week without the need to hit the gym or do anything too strenuous. I am not advocating leaving gym workouts out but rather wanted to write something that everyone could use or would be applicable to those without access to certain facilities — Something we could all do within the walks of everyday life when we simply don’t have time for conventional exercise.

So in essence this is the minimum you would want to be doing each week to improve your health and benefit from exercise.

What to Expect?

• Improved Nutrient Partitioning (basically meaning more of the food you eat will go into building muscle and being used as energy)
• Better Body Composition
• Fewer Aches and Pains
• Improved Mood
• Increased Flexibility

To me Improved Nutrient Partitioning is the most important thing and the main reason we should be exercising. The very fact that doing something so simple can have a profound effect on how our body deals with what we put in it is amazing, people with efficient nutrient partitioning will either store their food in muscle tissue or they will generate extra heat and increase activity to burn off any excess food eaten. This is how we can maintain a healthy weight with a less strict/regimented diet as our bodies should always have the correct mechanisms maintain homeostasis.

The Plan

1- Walk. This is the first thing that we can all implement into our daily lives, somehow find a way to walk for about 20 minutes a day. This could be spread throughout the day or done in one go it doesn’t really matter.

Walking your way to Health and Fitness

If you check out the article above you can see exactly why walking is so good. It is the linchpin upon which you can build a more healthy life and allow your body function more efficiently. Walking is low stress and has a great impact on your health.

2- Resistance. Starting some kind of resistance exercise plan is often the hardest thing as many people do not know how or where to start. Short and intense is the best way to get started, in as little as 5-10 minutes three times a week.

Tabata Training — Short and Effective

Tabata is a basic premise of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest done 8 times — This totals 4 minutes. It can be done with any bodyweight exercise the most basic probably being jumping jacks. THe above link even includes a timer you can download for free.

3- Stretch. This is another hugely important component that many people fail to do, stretching can not only help with nutrient partitioning but also in the relaxation of muscles. A daily stretch routine first thing in the morning and last thing at night is a great thing to implement.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7P6dzVf0ug

I find it is best to start from the top of the body and work down. By doing this you make certain all the muscles are covered. Investing in a yoga mat can help a lot with this as the extra grip will allow you to stretch deeper and more safely.

4- Be Active. Take every opportunity you can to keep active, ideally we should be moving round throughout the week. This can be anything from playing sports with friends to cycling around instead of driving all the time. It is also great to re-kindle old passions especially those that keep you active, possibly sports you used to enjoy…..

So take this as a guide to starting out on a Healthy and Active lifestyle — These are 4 aspects that anyone can and should be doing. The fact that these four simple lifestyle changes or implementations can have a huge benefit on how your body functions is more than enough reason to get started.

Chris is the author of A Simple Guide to Eating Well and writes about staying fit while living life. You also can follow me on Twitter.

Hello everyone.  The Free Fitness Tips Newsletter – August 2010 is now online.  If you want to download a copy you can do so using the link below…

>>> Click Here To Download The Free Fitness Tips Newsletter – August 2010 <<<

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It was a really long work day for me but also nice and sunny outside here in Calgary so I decided to hit the biggest hill around for some sprints. This hill has a giant wooden stair case 11 stories high (I counted the steps and divided by 14) so it is challenging but still easy on the joints. Here is the workout I did:

• Bike to the hill
• 10 minutes nice and easy, really just warming up
• Grok Squat
• loosen up the hips
• Hill/Stair Sprint
• 5 times up
• catching my breath at the top, walking down the stairs and sprinting back up almost immediately
• the last couple times up I couldn’t sprint the whole way up so I just got to the top as fast as possible
• Bike home
• again nice and easy

Pretty straight forward, as most of my workouts are. This might not look too sexy on paper, or the web, but finding a big hill and sprinting up it a few times will make you leaner, develop your legs, and make you a better athlete.

If you want to get creative and add your kettlebells into a hill sprint workout, check out this video I made a while back. This is a few sets in and believe me it got tough fast!

www.kettlebellplanet.com

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while. I was on vacation in Ottawa and then New York City. I did manage to sneak some park workouts in while relaxing in O-town. Mostly sprints, push-ups and pull-ups. As for the big apple, I found a cool gym in Brooklyn called Richie’s Gym. Richie’s is a pretty cool gym. There are plenty of free weights and machines, the music is loud and the atmosphere is positive.

As for a kettlebell workout, here is a good one to burn some fat and build some muscle.

• Mobility Work 
• 5 minutes of joint circles, making sure each joint is moved through it’s full range of motion
• Dynamic Warm Up
• lunges, push-ups, planks, etc
• just use body weight drills to get the blood flowing
• Kettlebell Drills
• do one set of each just short of failure then move to the next drill in circuit fashion
• Clean and Press
• Goblet Squat
• Windmill
• Snatch
• Lunge (Reverse Lunge if this drill hurts your knees)
• Renegade Row
• Once you have done 3-4 rounds of this kettlebell circuit catch your breath before starting the finisher
• Kettlebell Pukers, 2 bells
• Kettlebell Push-up into a Burpee into a Clean and Press and then drop back down in to a Push-up position
• the kettlebells should never leave your hands
• keep going to absolute failure
• check out the video I made a while back of pukers for a better explanation

www.kettlebellplanet.com

WHAT IS NICKEL?

Nickel is a micromineral (or trace element) that assists in the absorption of iron and the production of red blood cells.  Today I am going to be discussing this nutrient in greater detail.

WHEN WAS NICKEL DISCOVERED?

When early miners first came across nickel they were confused as to what it actually was because it acted in a similar way to many existing metals.  For example, both copper and nickel were found in ores with a green tint.  However, both ores reacted in different ways to heat.  In 1751 Swedish mineralogist Axel Fredrik Cronstedt made the breakthrough and recognised nickel as a new element.

HOW DOES YOUR BODY USE NICKEL?

The human body contains approximately 10mg of nickel of which the majority is concentrated in the hormone producing tissues, the kidneys and the lungs.  The exact function of this nutrient is still unclear as there is very little research on the effect nickel has on humans.  However, it is believed to have the following roles in the body:
- Activating certain enzymes.
- Assisting in the absorption of iron.
- Assisting in the metabolism of carbohydrates and certain dietary fats.
- Assisting in the production of certain hormones.
- Assisting in the production of red blood cells.
- Keeping your skin healthy.
- Promoting good bone structure.
- Promoting optimal growth.

HOW MUCH NICKEL DO YOU NEED?

Currently there is no recommended daily allowance (RDA) for nickel.  However, most sources suggest that an intake of around 0.1 milligrams (mg) per day is enough to meet your body’s needs.

WHICH FOODS CONTAIN NICKEL?

Since the available research on nickel is very limited it is difficult to determine the exact amount found in specific foods.  However, some of the richest sources include almonds, brown beans, chickpeas, hazelnuts, oats and walnuts.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GETTING TOO MUCH NICKEL?

Getting too much nickel from food alone is very difficult as it is believed an overdose only occurs when when 100mg or more of this nutrient is consumed.  However, it is possible to ingest toxic levels through inhalation of nickel fumes.  Furthermore, approximately 10% of people in the UK are allergic to nickel meaning that they may experience toxicity symptoms when exposed to much smaller amounts.  If nickel toxicity does occur it can lead to the following negative symptoms:
- High blood pressure.
- Increased lung cancer risk.
- Increased susceptibility to infection.
- Reduced bone development.
- Reduced growth rate.
- Skin rashes.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF NOT GETTING ENOUGH NICKEL?

Not getting enough nickel is very rare as it is required in such small amounts.  At the time of writing there are no deficiency symptoms associated with nickel in humans.

NICKEL SUMMARY

Whilst nickel is classed as a micromineral and is therefore an essential nutrient for humans, very little is known about its exact role.  However, I hope this article has helped you learn something new about nickel.

Now I want to hear your thoughts.  Has this article helped you learn anything new about the role of nickel in human health?  Have I missed any important nickel facts?  Let me know by leaving a comment.

Sources:
Nickel (Chemistry Explained)
Nickel (Healthy.net)
Nickel (MELISA)
Nickel (Copper Wiki)

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When the well is dry, we know the worth of water. – Benjamin Franklin

Drinking water regularly and throughout the day is something we hear no end of in todays main stream health writing. Water helps us flush out toxins, keep our organs hydrated, prevents fatigue and boosts energy as well as helping a host of other symptoms.

Now while I do believe that drinking a good amount of water each day can have a positive effect on the body in general, it seems we maybe missing out on the best reason to “stay hydrated”…..

Could it be possible that drinking enough water at the right times is a long held secret of the slim and healthy due to its appetite regulating properties. There is old knowledge about the body mistaking hunger for thirst, We have all experienced eating a large meal but then being struck by a hunger pang 2-3 hours later, surely our body could not have burnt through the food that quickly? Often a hunger pang is just a cry for water, having a glass or two will quickly get rid of the hunger and restore satiety……

We are told to take note that 2% dehydration in the body can have a huge impact on our wellbeing, while this is probably true it is pretty hard to get our bodies dehydrated by a full 2% which would require having no water and sweating a large amount – In which case our thirst would ramp up and make us want to down some water pretty quickly.

The most sneaky way that dehydration is caused is through eating large meals. This is because the food goes into your stomach and soaks up water from the body which it uses to digest, this can leave us pretty dehydrated but not in the conventional sense making the thirst switch less likely to be triggered. All this leaves the body pretty confused and hence the hunger strikes an hour or two after eating a heavy meal.

Here is a little quote I dug up on a recent study done involving hydration before eating:

“We found in earlier studies that middle aged and older people who drank two cups of water right before eating a meal ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories during that meal. In this recent study, we found that over the course of 12 weeks, dieters who drank water before meals, three times per day, lost about 5 pounds more than dieters who did not increase their water intake.”

It can be all too tempting to get back home from work or the gym and just start eating, the smarter option if you can manage is to down some water first thing when you enter the house. 1-2 large glasses will do, let it sit and absorb for 5-10 minutes before eating and you will avoid not only over-eating but also dehydration.

This has led me to believe the most important times to drink water are:

• Before main meals (on an empty stomach)
• After exercise (with a pinch of sea salt inside)
• Upon Waking (again with a pinch of sea salt)

These are all times where the body needs water, to help with digestion or replenish the body and get things flowing. Apart from these times I think it is safe to rely on your thirst as a gauge for how much to drink. I personally like to hydrate using herbal tea throughout the day – things like peppermint are great for regulating digestion and soothing the stomach, nettle tea is a great way to start the day as it detoxifies the body of impurities.

So it really comes down to drinking water at the right times to help your body function properly, rather than just drinking water for the sake of it. With the right hydration strategy you can help regulate appetite and weight for years to come…..

We all know that eating fruit is good right. Well that is what we have been led to believe and for good reason — Fruit is packed with anti-oxidants and vitamins as well as satiating fibre.

Fruit is a mix of fructose and glucose. Two different type of carbohydrates which work slightly differently — Glucose is available immediately in the body and therefore can be used as energy and to replenish muscle glycogen. Fructose on the other hand needs to pass through the liver in order to be used for energy by the body (and is usually used to fuel the brain). The problem comes when we overload the liver with fructose not giving it enough time to utilise the fuel and we effectively overburden the liver forcing it to convert the liver glycogen into fatty acids and be released into the blood stream which will either be stored as fat or if you are in a calorie deficit used as fuel….

The problem does to arise through conventional fruit consumption(as it would be pretty hard to consume damaging amounts of fructose while eating whole fruit) rather through the fructose in high doses that are found in most modern day processed foods. So many products these days have High Fructose Corn Syrup in them which is a cheap alternative to sugar which is basically a chemically engineered sweetener that hugely sweet and has a high ratio of fructose to glucose. Apart from HFCS we need to look out for the ever growing fruit juice market which again has a huge amount of concentrated fructose and while it is 100% natural sugar it has been stripped of the fiber and vitamins which slow the absorption of fructose.

Both High Fructose Corn Syrup and conventional sugar (sucrose) have high levels of fructose in them and most importantly they are extremely easy to over consume. A single serving of a soft drink or fruit juice will have 30-40 grams of sugar with no fiber and a diminished content of vitamins and minerals meaning the sugar is rapidly absorbed and shunted into the bloodstream. This single serving is not a large glass but a small cup of juice of soft drink basically 200-300ml.

To get 40 grams of sugar from real food you would need to consume 2 large apples which would give you 8 grams of fiber which helps to slow absorption plus an abundance of vitamins and minerals.

Add to this recent evidence linking fructose to cancerous growths and we have some pretty scary stuff on our hands. It seems that the human body has a problem dealing with a high carbohydrate load from processed foods which can lead to a host of problems with our health such as a fatty liver, diabetes, cancer, dementia to name a few….

“The bottom line is the modern diet contains a lot of refined sugar including fructose and it’s a hidden danger implicated in a lot of modern diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and fatty liver,” said Heaney, who also serves as director of the Pituitary Tumour and Neuroendocrine Program at UCLA. “In this study, we show that cancers can use fructose just as readily as glucose to fuel their growth.”

It goes without saying that one of the first and best steps to improving health and longevity is to drastically cut down our refined sugar intake and more importantly processed carbohydrate intake which not only includes fructose but processed glucose from foods like white bread or other refined starch based items (cakes, cookies etc)

Some things to keep an eye out for in your diet include:

This to me is one of the most important steps that you can take in improving your health and getting on route to a healthy and sustainable diet, which you can read about in my e-book.

I myself eat a lot of fruit - things like Apples, Bananas and Berries usually on there own or as snacks (yoghurt or cottage cheese with fruit) which seems like an ideal combination for a snack in terms of being easy to prepare and providing good satiety. Intake of fruit seems to vary from day to day, it really seems to depend on what I am craving and how I feel. Naturally we tend to eat/crave fruit or sweet things at the following times:

• First thing in the morning
• A few hours after a large/salty meal
• After a hard workout
• When it is hot (usually summertime)
• In the evening before bed time as a snack

Well those are the most common to want some fruit. I came across this video recently and it seems to put across some pretty compelling evidence that eating some fruit before bed could be a little trick to lower stress hormones and tickle fat loss into action while sleeping….

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq-aHwfKNSg

So with all the buzz going around the internet right now about fruit intake it seemed appropriate to write something up. Fruit is a very useful tool as part of a healthy diet but should be eaten in its whole form when possible, and eaten according to cravings and desire. Not because you must eat it, a lot of people force themselves to eat fruit when they really don’t want it (like after meals).

So listen to your body and adjust your fruit intake accordingly…..